Funding Changes for Zero Waste Mpls. Movement Staffer

Updated: 04/11/2014 9:00 PM KSTP.com

Image: Zero Waste Minneapolis/ Facebook

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges has hired a new staffer to head up her Zero Waste movement. However, there was a surprising announcement during Friday's city council meeting that the new staffer would no longer be paid in a way that some people saw as controversial.

The $76,000 salary and benefits package for the new job was originally slated to come from money which public works was going to transfer into the mayor's office, without any formal public debate over the matter.

The mayor's office said it's more appropriate to fund the position from the general fund.